Supportive Housing (NY/NY Housing)

Published on February 1st, 2016

Summary

One out of every seven homeless people in the United States lives in New York. Statewide there are roughly 67,000 men, women and children who are staying in shelters at any given time. In New York City alone, more than 59,000 people, including 24,000 children sleep in a homeless shelter each night. An additional 7,000 people stay in a shelter outside New York City. Thousands of others sleep on the streets or in abandoned buildings and makeshift campsites while thousands more exit foster care, hospitals and other institutions each year without a home.

Homelessness in New York has nearly doubled in the last decade. New York State must end this crisis and invest in the most cost-effective strategy proven to solve homelessness for those with the greatest needs – supportive housing, which pairs affordable housing with on-site supportive services.

Conference Position

The NYS Council of Catholic Charities Directors calls on Governor Cuomo to work with New York City and the other localities with large and growing homeless populations across the state, to create 35,000 units of supportive housing over the next 10 years (30,000 units in New York City and 5,000 units outside of New York City).

The Council also supports the Medicaid Redesign Team’s continued effort to support additional permanent supportive housing projects throughout New York State.